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Oracle Upgrades Test Suite with Java Scripting Engine

By John K. Waters

10/01/09

Oracle last week released a new version of its Application Testing Suite with a new Java-based scripting engine that automates both functional and load testing.

The latest component of Oracle's Enterprise Manager, Application Testing Suite 9.0, is designed to test Web and SOA-based apps as well as the company's E-Business Suite. While Version 9.0's predecessor included an automated test-scripting feature, the new engine, called OpenScript, is designed to leverage developers' Java skills, said Moe Fardoost, Oracle senior director of product marketing.

"Users of the Oracle E-Business Suite can use OpenScript to run their scripts, parameterize script inputs, add custom test cases to validate content and extend scripts' programmatically," Fardoost said.

The OpenScript component is used for creating automated test scripts that can be used for load testing, functional testing and application monitoring. It combines a graphical scripting interface with an Eclipse-based Java IDE, which can be used by skilled quality-assurance professionals and less-experienced testers, Fardoost said.

"The idea is to leverage a single, integrated, standards-based solution to create both automated functional and load-test scripts," he said. "Sitting down and writing the scripts that handle the testing takes up more than 50 percent of the time involved in this process, so this is a huge time saver. Plus, because it's an integrated platform, it gets everybody--developers and QA professionals--on the same page."

The new release also comes with new test accelerators for the Oracle E-Business Suite and enhanced accelerators for Oracle's Siebel CRM. One set of accelerators supports functional and load testing of Oracle E-Business Suite applications, including both 11i10 and 12 releases; the other enhances existing accelerators for Siebel CRM applications. The latter takes advantage of the new OpenScript platform.

The ability to automate the test-scripting process has become an essential capability of these tools, especially in enterprise environments, said Melinda-Carol Ballou, program director in IDC's Application Life Cycle Management group. "Scripting and management of test scripts can be arduous and time consuming," Ballou said. "The ability to more easily create scripts, along with closer coordination with Oracle suite applications, can speed test creation and facilitate quality assessment at a time when overall resources are more limited as we emerge from this difficult economy."

Users are increasingly intolerant of poorly functioning and poorly performing applications, she added. And companies increased their exposure when there are problems with business-critical applications.

"Coordinating effective testing approaches with application customization can enable business agility and cut defect costs by uncovering software problems sooner than manual approaches," she said. "As ERP vendors evolve towards services approaches, the need for services life cycle and quality management will also emerge as a core demand on the part of users."

Members of the Oracle Technology Network can download the entire Testing Suite or OpenScript only on the OTN Web site.

About the Author

John K. Waters is a freelance journalist and author based in Palo Alto, CA.